$3.3 MILLION FOR SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS

NEW WESTMINSTER – An additional $3.3 million is being provided for 80 schools across all 60 school districts for the repair, improvement and replacement of playgrounds, Education Minister George Abbott announced today.

This is the final phase of an $8-million playground funding commitment made by Premier Christy Clark and Abbott last September, bringing the total number of schools benefiting from the two-year program to 227 provincewide.

For the first phase of the program, the B.C. government provided more than $2 million to 23 school districts for new playground equipment at 41 schools without playgrounds. Under the second phase, 106 parent advisory councils in 34 school districts were reimbursed over $2.4 million for the purchase of new playground equipment.

The addition and renewal of playground equipment at schools throughout B.C. will promote active and healthy lifestyles by ensuring students and communities have access to safe and modern playground facilities.

With students, parents and school district officials in attendance, Abbott made today’s playground funding announcement at F.W. Howay Elementary school in New Westminster.